Good article by Wexell. I'm really concerned about Butler's comments about Worilds. What kind of nonsense is this quote

“He probably had one of the best workouts this year of anyone we’ve seen,” said Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler.

The guy is obviously clueless and hasn't scouted Worilds on YouTube.

By Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.com
Posted Apr 23, 2010

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Steelers find necessary depth at outside linebacker in the second round and hope they caught lightning from a run-and-shoot bottle in the third.

PITTSBURGH – A couple of years ago, the Steelers weren’t sure the defensive end they’d been scouting could drop into coverage. So they went to his Pro Day and that’s the day they fell in love with LaMarr Woodley.

They drafted him in the second round and he became a Pro Bowler.

The Steelers are hoping the same scenario unfolds for Jason “All” Worilds, their second-round pick.

“He probably had one of the best workouts this year of anyone we’ve seen,” said Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler.

Worilds is a 6-1, 254-pound defensive end from Virginia Tech who led the nation with 38 quarterback pressures last season and projects to outside linebacker in the Steelers’ 3-4 scheme.

The Steelers drafted Worilds in the second round and followed it up by drafting SMU slot receiver Emmanuel Sanders in the third round.

Worilds adds needed depth to a position that – fortunately for the Steelers – has been relatively unscathed by injuries the last two seasons.

“We need some depth on this football team at outside linebacker,” Butler said. “And we need better special teams than we had last year, and we think this guy can help us in that area quickly.”

Worilds, coming from Virginia Tech, already has the Special Teams Gene. It’s coached into the players’ DNA there. But it's as a pass-rusher that Worilds’ future lies with the Steelers.

A two-time first-team all-state player out of Carteret, New Jersey, Worilds had 15.5 sacks, 75 pressures, 34.5 tackles for loss and caused five fumbles in 41 career college games.

His best season was his redshirt sophomore season in 2008 when he had eight sacks. That total dipped to 4.5 last season, and Butler explained that Worilds “got a lot of attention from different offenses he played against. A lot of people doubled him.”

Worilds’ best game may have been his last. He repeatedly pressured Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton and Worilds’ sack/forced fumble sealed a 37-14 Tech win in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Tech’s left defensive end was also a big reason Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty gained only 39 yards on 18 rushes. Worilds, in fact, limited opposing runners to just 44 yards on 117 run plays in his career, according to the Tech sports information department, that claims no ballcarrier scored against Worilds during his career.

That career was shortened when Worilds opted to turn pro after his redshirt junior season. The 22-year-old showed great linebacker aptitude at the combine and followed it up with an impressive Pro Day in which the 254-pounder ran a 4.51 40.

“Speed,” Butler said of Worilds’ primary asset. “But more than anything he was fluid.”

“I want to be the best,” said Worilds. “I just want to go in there and earn those guys’ respect, try to be the best that I can be, contribute in any way, and not get in those guys’ way; just be a sponge.”

In the third round, the Steelers drafted Sanders, a 5-11, 186-pound slot receiver who caught 98 passes for 1,339 yards and 7 touchdowns at SMU under Coach June Jones, a long-time run-and-shoot devotee.

Sanders appeared to be merely a small run-and-shoot receiver at the East-West Shrine Game, where he was knocked around by king-sized free safety Kam Chancellor on one deep pass and later fell down to cause an interception on another deep pass. Sanders, who averaged 13.8 per punt return last season, showed little return quickness in the Shrine game.

“He is a guy that without the return value is still highly valued at the receiver position,” said Steelers WRs coach Scottie Montgomery, who said that Sanders is “quick to the tuck.”

“He has the ability to catch the ball and get it north and south,” Montgomery said. “That’s something that I value quite a bit.”

Montgomery wouldn’t comment on Sanders’ two-game suspension in 2008, but Sanders explained – much to the Steelers’ PR staff’s obvious disdain – that he only was late to study hall twice and then was five minutes late to practice, thus violating the new SMU coach’s “three-strike rule.”

“The Shrine Game was a rough day,” Sanders explained. “At SMU I played in the slot, but in the Shrine Game we were all outside receivers. All the rest there had been outside receivers, but it took me a little while to adjust.”

Sanders ran the 40 in 4.44 (official) at the combine, but says he’s run as fast as 4.36.

“I like what Tomlin is about,” Sanders said of Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin. “People would ask me – because I visited eight teams – where was I on a comfort level? Where did I feel at home? I said Pittsburgh. I walked into the organization and it was very laid back. And I feel like that’s the kind of guy I am.”

flippy

04-24-2010, 08:11 AM

good article. we need a "let's run through a brick wall emoticon" now.

NorthCoast

04-24-2010, 08:25 AM

the Sanders pick sounds like an attempt to find Hines' eventual replacement....

were all the good DBs gone by this time?

papillon

04-24-2010, 08:35 AM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy

flippy

04-24-2010, 08:55 AM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy

I didn't like that article. Of course one of the best safeties of all time and one of the best 3-4 DEs of all time are going to have a major impact on the defense.

Troy and Aaron are to this defense what Ben is to the offense. They are great players and this article suggesting they maybe won't significantly help the defense is a silly argument.

I'm positive if Smith and Troy stay healthy, we'll be the #1 defense in the NFL again. No maybies.

I'm more concerned about what if they aren't healthy. And Farrior has lost a step. And Gay isn't the best CB we've ever had.

Lebsteel

04-24-2010, 09:04 AM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy
I think I could have wrote that article. That is exactly how I feel, there are a lot of maybe's with the Steelers in 2010. My hope is that we can grab AOA in Rd. 4 or mabye Blount. Either a CB or a RB.....

ANPSTEEL

04-24-2010, 09:17 AM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy
I think I could have wrote that article. That is exactly how I feel, there are a lot of maybe's with the Steelers in 2010. My hope is that we can grab AOA in Rd. 4 or mabye Blount. Either a CB or a RB.....

I had a turrets attack over this exact article on another board.

:shaking head:

how in the heck do they draft for depth when you have a glaring need for a starting corner?

Clearly- they don't think any of the corners available when they picked are any better than the guys currently on the roster.

the slot receiver in Rd 3 had me appoplectic. If you're going for depth- which a slot receiver certainly is- (I'd guess the team has about 5 on the roster already) why not draft for depth at positions of greater need???
S, DL, RB????

uurrgggghhh

shoot me now.

I know they know what they are doing, but this is a very peculiar draft so far.

I'm fine with Pouncey-
Worilds strikes me as a guy who is out of the league in 3-4 years due to his shoulder problems.
Sanders- maybe he is the next Wes Welker- or maybe he is Troy Edwards II.

ok, I'm coming in off the ledge now.

Eddie Spaghetti

04-24-2010, 09:32 AM

gotta point out that in that Tennessee game he was going up against a true freshman tackle named aaron douglas who is no longer playing college football.

but, he did dominate.

Oviedo

04-24-2010, 09:36 AM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy

One article quotes a coach who has actually worked out the player being discussed and the other article is the opinion of a "JV" writer at the PG. No effort to get input from coaches or scouts, just his opinion. No research or stats, just his opinion. He isn't even the beat writer for the Steelers who has good sources cause that's Bouchette. Cook might as well post here because maybe posters here are better writers than him.

Nice try but I'll take Wexell's article and this is why Wexell is the best of the Steelers beat writers. He gets quotes and facts.

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy
I think I could have wrote that article. That is exactly how I feel, there are a lot of maybe's with the Steelers in 2010. My hope is that we can grab AOA in Rd. 4 or mabye Blount. Either a CB or a RB.....

Your editor would change that to "written". :D

frankthetank1

04-24-2010, 11:17 AM

the Sanders pick sounds like an attempt to find Hines' eventual replacement....

were all the good DBs gone by this time?

i think sanders is holmes's replacement. sanders and holmes have the same frame, and are both fast. i dont mind the sanders pick although wr isnt a need. sanders's numbers for 3 years at smu are very impressive.

brandon ghee was still on the board at the time and franks is still on the board so we are passing up on quality cb's for depth at OLB. real smart, one of the worst draft's imo

NW Steeler

04-24-2010, 11:21 AM

the Sanders pick sounds like an attempt to find Hines' eventual replacement....

were all the good DBs gone by this time?

i think sanders is holmes's replacement. sanders and holmes have the same frame, and are both fast. i dont mind the sanders pick although wr isnt a need. sanders's numbers for 3 years at smu are very impressive.

brandon ghee was still on the board at the time and franks is still on the board so we are passing up on quality cb's for depth at OLB. real smart, one of the worst draft's imo

I think we are all scratching our heads a little bit, no, a lot at this draft. But I have faith in the front office and what they are doing. They obviously know a hell of a lot more than any of us. I am absolutely stunned that we have not drafted any players for our secondary yet. Stunned. They must REALLY like Burnett and Lewis.

JAR

04-24-2010, 11:22 AM

Fix the pass rush and the secondary is fine.

frankthetank1

04-24-2010, 11:28 AM

Fix the pass rush and the secondary is fine.

i agree with that some what. you still need guys who can cover and today you need 3 solid cb's on the roster. we have ike and thats it and even ike looked bad last year

Jigawatts

04-24-2010, 11:28 AM

how in the heck do they draft for depth when you have a glaring need for a starting corner?

I'm guessing that they believe a top corner just doesn't have much value in their system.
The FO believes that if the front seven plays lights out, Troy does his thing, and the
corners are adequate enough to just not get beat deep, than the defensive scheme will
be successful. As a fan, it's hard to watch 10 yard cushions and the quarterback chipping
away, and it's even harder waiting until the final game of the season to see an interception
by a corner, but this is the MO.

Sugar

04-24-2010, 11:31 AM

Fix the pass rush and the secondary is fine.

That must be what they're thinking because they haven't appeared to even sniff a DB. I really wanted Wilson at #1 and then thought that maybe they felt there was better value a little later down the line- still nothing.

I am choosing to put myself back in the "they know things we don't" camp.

frankthetank1

04-24-2010, 11:32 AM

the Sanders pick sounds like an attempt to find Hines' eventual replacement....

were all the good DBs gone by this time?

i think sanders is holmes's replacement. sanders and holmes have the same frame, and are both fast. i dont mind the sanders pick although wr isnt a need. sanders's numbers for 3 years at smu are very impressive.

brandon ghee was still on the board at the time and franks is still on the board so we are passing up on quality cb's for depth at OLB. real smart, one of the worst draft's imo

I think we are all scratching our heads a little bit, no, a lot at this draft. But I have faith in the front office and what they are doing. They obviously know a hell of a lot more than any of us. I am absolutely stunned that we have not drafted any players for our secondary yet. Stunned. They must REALLY like Burnett and Lewis.

i usually have faith in the FO but im pretty worried. the secondary was pathetic last season and i dont see any reason why it will improve this season. we signed will allen so far wow. im suprised they like burnett and lewis this much. i am also suprised that we havent drafted a RB. a back up RB will play more than either gibson or worilds

NJ-STEELER

04-24-2010, 12:12 PM

fix the pass rush??

there's nothing wrong withn the pass rush

JAR

04-24-2010, 12:21 PM

fix the pass rush??

there's nothing wrong withn the pass rush

Are you serious? When you give Gradkowski enough time to carve you up, you have no pass rush.

NJ-STEELER

04-24-2010, 12:26 PM

dropping back our best pass rushers to cover up for the poor secondary will do that to ya.

how many sacks did we have and where did that rank in the league?

do you think wordlis gets on the field in the 4th qr your talking about?

butler has already said he's gonna sit and learn for the year. mostly to do because woodley and harrison are great and they dont like coming out of the game....and he doesn't like taking them out of the game, either.

when you have secondary personel that leaves guys wide open for a QB like gradkowski to find them...yeah, we have a problem

frankthetank1

04-24-2010, 03:42 PM

i just found this on sanders and thought it was pretty alarming. its probably not a big deal though

2/7/09: Emmanuel Sanders was suspended for the final two games of the year for being late to practice. He was then ordered to take down Plaxico Burress' poster in his dorm room. It's a shame because Sanders managed 67 receptions, 958 yards and nine touchdowns.

papillon

04-24-2010, 09:25 PM

Here's an article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10114/1053084-87.stm) that takes a different spin on the draft. To be fair and cover both sides.

Pappy

One article quotes a coach who has actually worked out the player being discussed and the other article is the opinion of a "JV" writer at the PG. No effort to get input from coaches or scouts, just his opinion. No research or stats, just his opinion. He isn't even the beat writer for the Steelers who has good sources cause that's Bouchette. Cook might as well post here because maybe posters here are better writers than him.

Nice try but I'll take Wexell's article and this is why Wexell is the best of the Steelers beat writers. He gets quotes and facts.

Of course, it fits the slant you want to take on the draft. If Cook's fit the bill you would take his. I don't like the draft and I don't need a beat writer, coach or anyone else to inform me what I think or see.

Matt Millen the supreme evaluator of talent says that Worilds is the steal of the draft. What's that worth? Nothing, because, he ran a proud franchise into the ground. Worilds isn't the steal of the draft and won't see the field regularly for 3 years.

The Steelers had needs and the players on the board to correct them and they chose not to. We'll see how the Super Bowl XL reunion tour works out 6 years later.